tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-150864072017-09-07T18:05:47.385-06:00Shining Examples"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6<br>
A blog dedicated to training children to be shining examples of God's love.Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320851537962283137noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-52716855395383341122016-04-26T10:43:00.001-06:002016-04-26T10:44:02.844-06:00Musings on TestingA Word About Testing
For the umpteenth year, I am sitting in the coffee shop drinking my tea waiting for my kids who are taking the standardized test. In our state, we have to take tests every other year starting with 3rd grade. We do testing every year as we want our kids to be comfortable with the process long before it really matters in high school.
When my kids were younger, testing timeDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-15844941618833509082016-03-30T16:58:00.001-06:002016-03-30T16:58:26.917-06:00Dealing with Selfishness
Serving
Bible Verse - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-40
One of the best ways to combat selfishness is to introduce the idea of service. When we learn the Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-56176447142271235792016-01-27T14:59:00.002-07:002016-01-27T14:59:41.605-07:00Character and Academics Matter
Homeschooling is difficult. It is a constant balance of doing the have to and the want to, it is balancing being the Mom and the teacher. It means we balance several full-time jobs that all require our constant attention and still strive to have a well-ordered, happy home that our hard-working husbands can come home to each night. It is a constant balancing act of plates that could all drop Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-71060800937131206222015-11-10T19:58:00.001-07:002015-11-12T07:40:14.475-07:00Balancing Being the Strict Mom with the Compassionate Mom
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a pretty no nonsense, take no guff, stand your ground kind of girl. I once overheard my kids having a discussion with their best friends as to which of their Mom's was the most strict. Without blinking their cute little eyes, all of them declared that I was. They agreed that they liked to come to my house cause we did fun stuff but they said they Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-1124119262147455272015-09-23T09:09:00.000-06:002015-09-23T09:09:00.741-06:00I obey right away! Re-do
Our family went tent camping this weekend which is always an adventure with three children. It's also one of those areas which can show you if your children have a heart of obedience. There are many times while camping that demand absolute first time obedience. For instance... "Don't touch the fire, actually don't go near the fire, no don't throw anything in the fire. No you may not slide down Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10320851537962283137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-70590238756211201862015-09-03T12:40:00.001-06:002015-09-03T12:42:01.151-06:00Dawn's Granola
Several people have asked for my granola recipe and I usually say, " Start with this base but then double it, add this this and that, exchange this..." So instead of going through all of that I actually wrote it all down as I was cooking. (Aren't you proud of me, Connor?)
This makes at least 18 cups, which is a lot of granola, so halve it if you need.
Preheat oven to 300*
In a large bowl mix Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-24445096214821143942015-08-31T16:36:00.000-06:002015-09-01T07:27:04.482-06:00A Coffee Shop ChatI am sitting here in Starbucks waiting for the twins to be finished with robotics and I finally had a bit of time to reflect on the huge changes that have happened in our family in the past summer. Connor had a smooth transition into his dorm, which is the largest dorm room I have ever seen. Clearly God loves him. The twins have started high school and for the first time in over 13 years, I am Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-28812213314328380792015-08-01T10:05:00.000-06:002015-08-01T11:23:10.942-06:00Summer update
It's been a crazy busy summer. It feels like I have spent most of it preparing or cleaning up after the children/ husband who lead very busy travel lives. I think Connor has spent maybe two weeks home the whole summer. He has been given a scholarship to go to the Scratch 2015 conference in Amsterdam so we will have him home for a week, then he leaves for a week and then he has three days Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-39988129505550203422015-06-12T19:58:00.002-06:002015-06-12T19:58:54.359-06:00Graduation!After a wonderful 9 day trip to Disneyworld, we came back and threw a graduation two days later. It only occurs to me later, that scheduling things like that back to back may be crazy. It was also raining like cats and dogs so we did a ton of praying that it would stop for the party because the 60-70 people coming would be hard to fit in my living room. It rained hard right before the party andScott Hudsonhttps://plus.google.com/117222875518148246231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-8488422554092844522015-05-31T21:18:00.000-06:002015-05-31T21:18:19.335-06:00You Can Do This!
Do you remember when you had your first baby? The first moment you had with that sweet, little person? I had a long, hard labour with my oldest, over 36 hours of labour and hadn't slept in 48 hours and neither had anyone else in my general vicinity. After Connor's birth and he had been bathed and fed and the 500 pictures taken with both sets of new grandparents, everyone left to go take Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-26056459117628037202015-04-27T10:11:00.003-06:002015-04-27T10:11:21.355-06:00Living What You're Learning!
Most of us grew up in a traditional school atmosphere. There were desks in neat rows where we sat alphabetically and all of our textbooks fit inside. When it was time for math or reading or history we all took at our textbooks and followed along. When that class was over, we put the book and away and failed to think of it again. We didn’t need to, that class was over for the day. When weDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-92091225659387712942015-04-10T20:51:00.000-06:002015-04-11T12:32:10.575-06:00Prepping for Convention Season
I know this is a repeat post, but ready or not, convention season is upon us!
I am going to tell you that if you don't regularly go to a convention, you should. Think of it as in-service training. Actually, at a convention I spoke at last weekend, I had to sign papers for people who came to my sessions so that they got credit for on going training. I thought that was a brilliant idea and I Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-52821643272005610472015-03-03T19:38:00.002-07:002015-03-04T14:16:58.913-07:00Middle School Vision Casting
Often we see Middle School as just a stop gap between Elementary School and High School but it is a vital step to prepare our kids properly for High School so we can then properly prepare them for College or Career.
Middle School is the perfect time to teach independent learning, time management, stuff management, as well as start vision casting. It is so important in these Middle SchoolDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-9334309120811805942015-02-21T14:26:00.000-07:002015-02-21T14:26:57.583-07:00Senior Pictures!We took Senior Pictures in October and while we were at it, we took a few family pictures. I am still amazed that we are at this point, but as we are in the final stages of finding out which Colleges he's been accepted at, if he made it in the Engineering Honors Dorm at CU and the ever so important last and final stage of The Boettcher Scholarship, I suppose it's time to face the fact that my Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-45212411337321409082015-02-15T19:43:00.001-07:002015-02-15T19:43:18.493-07:00The Best Mission in Life
Several years ago I took a very in depth Bible Study/Class on discipleship. We read the Bible, we read Bonhoeffer and we even read a book by a Communist detailing how to pursue people to make disciples. Through the six week class we had to pray and really delve into God's mission for each of us and to develop into disciple makers. By the end of the class we were to enter into 2-3 mentor Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-50231526892548623732015-01-18T17:22:00.001-07:002015-01-19T07:34:46.511-07:00Passion led High SchoolAs we are entering the last semester of High School with Connor, and have had a surprising level of success both with admissions and scholarships, I have been asked several times recently about how we made Connor such an attractive prospect to schools. Ultimately, the answer is God. God has a plan for Connor's life and made him such a unique, wonderful guy that we knew God has paved the way. Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-1798542910360784872015-01-10T09:34:00.003-07:002015-01-10T09:34:56.664-07:00Character AND Academics Matter
Homeschooling is difficult. It is a constant balance of doing the have to and the want to, it is balancing being the Mom and the teacher. It means we balance several full-time jobs that all require our constant attention and still strive to have a well-ordered, happy home that our hard-working husbands can come home to each night. It is a constant balancing act of plates that could all drop Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-49696258248770063902014-12-28T13:47:00.000-07:002014-12-28T16:00:59.073-07:00Getting Back into Gear
It is always difficult to get back into the swing of things but just like at the beginning of the school year there are some things you can do to help everyone adjust smoothly without resorting to tears all around. Generally, you have more uninterrupted school time during this time so it's important that we are working hard.
1. Bedtimes - Make sure bedtimes are being enforced. It is hard toDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-44957754883091787032014-11-08T09:42:00.002-07:002014-11-08T14:46:33.946-07:00Breaking the PatternThere are times in parenting that I wonder about the feasibility of a certain child still being around by the time they are 18. Sometimes I wonder if I will survive. We can have weeks of great behavior and then, bam!, we are in a horrible pattern and every day is painful and horrific. Nothing they say or I say or do is right. At times like these, homeschooling seems like more of a liability Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-4783508142469424502014-10-09T19:06:00.000-06:002014-10-09T19:06:15.787-06:00Do Not Be Afraid
Have you ever read the story of the Israelites crossing the River Jordan? It says in Joshua 3:14 that it was harvest season and the river was overflowing its banks. Having recently seen rivers overflowing their banks, I know what a scary and destructive force that is. The Bible tells us that the Levite Priests were to cross first, carrying the Ark of the Covenant. Can you imagine the fear Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-17983508821015492762014-08-13T20:29:00.001-06:002014-08-13T20:29:59.276-06:00Looking Back
Tonight, I am sitting here contemplating the fact that tomorrow is Connor's last first day of school in our homeschool. Tomorrow, Connor starts his Senior year in High School. I couldn't be more proud of the young man he has become. He is articulate, kind, scary smart, loving, dryly funny, wise and a well grounded Godly young man. Looking back, I am so grateful for the 12 years that I Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-825764195903941812014-06-27T11:20:00.002-06:002014-06-28T21:27:02.736-06:00Summer Days 2014
I almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days — three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain. ~John Keats
We had friends stay with us for a week and a half and we had a blast. Camping in the backyard was great and the best part was that Scott and I could sleep in our own bed.
If you haven't discovered,Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-50958494443521701622014-05-28T20:29:00.004-06:002014-05-28T20:29:57.755-06:00If It's Worth Doing, It's Worth Doing Right!
If it’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Right
Homeschooling is difficult. It is a constant balance of doing the have to and the want to, it is balancing being the Mom and the teacher. It means we balance several full-time jobs that all require our constant attention and still strive to have a well-ordered, happy home that our hard-working husbands can come home to each night. It is a constant Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-25898212650766942062014-05-03T13:00:00.000-06:002014-05-03T15:53:59.879-06:00Great Summer Fun!
This is an older post but still has some of my favorite summer ideas.
Here are a few new ones as well-
Jim Weiss CD's - We love these CD's. They are great for quiet time during the summer as well as for car rides. www.greathall.com
Khan Academy - I hate losing valuable math skills during the summer so a Khan Academy is a fun way to keep up math skills in the summer. www.khanacademy.org
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15086407.post-4670136301812328412014-04-22T21:30:00.000-06:002014-04-22T21:30:25.843-06:00Plan Your Work and then Work Your Plan
"Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan. " - Margaret Thatcher
Every self help guru will tell you that you need to set goals, have a plan and work steadily toward your goals. Homeschooling is no different. In fact, what could be more important that training and educating our children? With something so important we should have a plan and work towards it daily.
Before weDawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07311424490217244446noreply@blogger.com0